Dear Hudson

Taylor Martz

The time has come. I’m leaving you… for Dayton. I hope this doesn’t come across as a surprise; you knew from the start that you could only have me for 18 years. But it’s been 18 wonderful years, don’t get me wrong.

How could I forget our early years? The Easter egg hunt at Barlow Farms, the free cookie on Tuesday at Perkins, Safety Town or sitting on Santa’s lap on the Green. You even provided me with early education. Evamere, Hudson Elementary and Eastwoods were the good years.

I hate to bring this up, but I couldn’t help but notice that you provided amenities for all the years after me, and made me suffer instead. What’s up with the awesome playgrounds put up after I left Evamere? And the grass recess area finished after I left Hudson El’? I couldn’t even use the swirly slide at Eastwoods because high schoolers had burned holes in it.

Not to mention, middle school was another awakening. Unlike any other grade, our year had to abruptly switch communities twice, as opposed to the usual one change. Going into high school, you made my class the last to deal with FST (Functions Statistics Trigonometry), the first to deal with the new grading scale and shorter AP classes and the last grade to have to take sophomore midterms¾ regardless of our high scores on the Ohio Graduation Tests.

However, I have to thank you for making me wiser. You’ve made me a better person just by providing me with endless educational and volunteer opportunities. Even though I can’t picture myself growing old with you, you really were my first love.

I’m going to miss hearing the tornado siren at noon every day, the mouse climbing up the clock tower at Christmas and even the ice cream socials. You’ve provided for me for all these years, but now it’s time for me to claim my independence. I’m on to bigger and better things, and quite frankly, you don’t offer a collegiate education anywhere in your boundaries.

Not to hurt your feelings, but Dayton is a tad more populated than you, if you haven’t noticed. It has everything you have… and more. I didn’t think it would be possible for me to switch to a city without a Coldstone Creamery present, but don’t worry, Dayton has not only my favorite ice cream store, but about five more all within walking distance from campus.

Much to your surprise, I’m really not going to miss your strict rules, overbearing police force, unsympathetic curfew and lack of nightlife. The fact that your traffic lights begin to blink at 10 p.m. just about says it all.

I must admit, you do have an attractive presence on a day-to-day basis. I love that you don’t need the flashy neon signs to draw in visitors or make an appearance. Even First and Main and the Green are eye-catching centers of your existence.

So, Hudson, I’m sorry to do this, but I’m breaking up with you. I know it doesn’t seem long enough, but 18 years will suffice. I’m on to bigger and better cities, and unfortunately you just don’t make the cut. I just wanted to thank you for being my foundation; you’ll always be my hometown.